This thread is dedicated to one of the baddest Funk bands of the 70's and 80's (as well as all time). I remember that thread a while back about favorite albums by them and I started this long drawn-out debate about which era of Cameo was the most important. I said that they really found their sound and identity when they started moving into Synth-Funk and codpieces. I believe that began with the "She's Strange" album. Or maybe it was "Style". I got some heat for that however because I also said that before their move into the mainstream, they were just another Funk band that sounded like second-rate versions of their contemporaries (P-Funk, EWF, Ohio Players, etc.). I'm kinda worng about that since upon further listening I'd say they really found themselves when they released "Cameosis". But that's neither here nor there.

Anyways, this band has been my lastest flame for the past 4 months, and since there's no major sites devoted to them, I have a few unanswered questions: What are the details of bassist Michael Burnett's recent death? Will their records be remasted and re-released? What's the story with Wayne Cooper? (who was an amazing falsetto singer, even better than dare I say, Prince); Why is "Alligator Woman" the most popular among fans? Is Larry Blackmon really crazy? Will there be another tour this year (a 30-year retrospect would be quite nice actually)? What's this I'm hearing about the "Cameo Collective" concert coming up in Minneapolis? How funky is "I Just Want To Be"? What was up with that codpiece? Will there be a new Cameo album? What was with the numerous line-up changes? What's this rumor I heard about the band performing on the soundtrack to the upcoming "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" movie?.....and so forth and so on.

With all that said, Cameo is the funky ass truth!

I love Cameo, particularly the songs Use It or Lose It, Freaky Dancing, I Never Knew, Back and Forth, I Just Wanna Be and Attack Me With Your Love.

Mr. Burnett had a heart attack. Mr. Cooper passed away over twenty years ago from complications of AIDS.

I love Cameo! They represent a special part in music history for me. I remember when I first got into Prince around the Purple Rain days, that Cameo was really big for me too. Those were the days of great music. Not this crap today. My favorites will always be She's Strange, Back and Forth and Single Life-which I used to play to death.

I love Cameo! Their song, "Single Life" is my theme song; I totally dig that tune.

wonder505 said:

Hell yeah. That was when I was into them. I might've only been in pre-school, but I remember those tunes very vividly.

And for some reason I always associate my memory of hearing "Single Life" with my love for animal crackers.

Cameo are one of my favorite bands of all time. I recently got a hold of a CD containing all the extended 12" mixes of their tracks - excellent!

Oh yeah, and have there been any books written about Cameo?

Back and Forth
(one of the tunes I spun on the way to work today)


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Hells yeah. I remember when Cameo was all over the radio here in NYC (especially in the 'hood where I was raised).

And I wonder if they were the first guys to sport high-top fades. I figured they kinda set that trend for all brothers to follow in the years to come.

Last month my sister called me and asked me if they were gay. I asked why and she told me about the "Shake Your Pants" video.




Anyway...Cameo rocks!!

NWF said:

Can't speak for others, but Alligator Woman is one of my favorites because it rocks and funks at the same time and is simply a bad tune. Lyrically, like much of Cameo's catalogue, Alligator Woman makes being p---y whipped over a girl sound macho and cool.

Funk !! Funk!!

Cameo is quite popular on this site We always have a Cameo thread every few weeks.These guys have so many kickass jams! I can't even pick a favorite song.Currently,my favorite song is "Freaky Dancing",it gives me fond memories of the summer of '81...

in order to move like this
you've got to have confidence!

Cameo was at its finest when they still had all those cats around and before they started doing all that synth stuff...
Anyway, paying all those musicians and paying for the massive load of stage props they had around for their tours cost a lot of money, so Mr. Blackmon decided it was time to fire some people so they could actually start making money. Hence the three-man Cameo was born. I think getting rid of Wayne Cooper was incredibly stupid. The man has one of the most beautiful falsettos ever. He died of AIDS

My fav Cameo album is...


My fav tracks include:
Find My Way
We're Goin' Out Tonight
Why Have I Lost You
We All Know Who We Are
Shake Your Pants

Yes, and only now I've realized that Wayne Cooper was an amazing falsetto vocalist that could put Prince and Phillip Bailey to shame. I tend to think that Cameo's other ballads sound like EWF ripoffs, but "Why Have I Lost You" definitely has its own merits.

But you know, times were changing and I can see why Larry downsized the group. Horns were out and synths were in. Not that it was really a bad thing. I mean, that's how they came up with stuff like "She's Strange" and "Single Life".


But why do people still dig "Alligator Woman" so much?

NWF said:

What's wrong with "Alligator Woman"? That song is fierce (very New Wav-ish,so you of all people should love it,lol) and the album is their best work!

SoulAlive said:

Well I'm not saying it's bad at all. In fact I think it's very good. A little weird, but hey, that was New Wave right?

I was just wondering why that album gets the popular vote as opposed to...I don't know...."Word Up".

NWF said:

It's a better album than 'Word Up',imo

SoulAlive said:

Word Up is overrated.

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Agree with you on that. I started the previous thread of top 5 cameo albums and
i don't think it was but one person that listed word up in their top 5.
I even liked their obscure album style better than word up. My favorite is
definitely alligator woman followed by knights of the round table.

http://www.emancipationra.../tomi.html

Check out this interview with Tomi Jenkins, we even address the codpiece !!

FuNkeNsteiN said:

As someone who bought all of Cameo's albums, I have to disagree with that. The title track, "Candy" and "Back and Forth" alone make it worth the price of admission.
[Edited 3/28/07 10:27am]

NWF said:

Are you kidding.....with songs like "Alligator Woman", "Soul Army","Flirt", "Be Yourself", "I owe it all to you".....THAT is why so many people dig this album so much!

phunkdaddy said:

(Isn't it Knights of the SOUND table????)

Anyway....Knights by Nights!!!!! I love that song! I even won a high school T.V. broadcasting class gong show performing that song!

Sowhat said:

Yeah, I like that one too. That's the one with "Freaky Dancing" and "Don't Be So Cool".

Love Cameo. One of my all time faves. All-time Fave Cameo album;

"Alligator Woman"

All Time Underrated Cameo Song;

"Keep It Hot"

I've been into Cameo ever since I was 11 years old. Have every single album. Cameo was crucial. They always had their own brand of funk. They came when funk was kinda getting blended in with disco but they stayed true. They also fought out of the shadow of Parliament. Their production on their albums, especially their earlier ones, were excellent. The musicianship was flawless. I think their underrated for that element. They hung on all through the hella crucial years of the 80's MTV explosion and came out grinning and winning with their huge "Word Up!" album. I remember hearing folks say that they had sold out. Not even a valid claim. That album is as much a "Cameo sounding" album as the rest of theirs. I was happy for them to hear "Word Up!" and the fantastic "Candy" all over pop radio. "You're giving me a heart attack. It's the kind I lack!" Love that shit. Instead of saying "like", Larry kept it black by saying "lack".

Yeah, a lot of the die-heard Cameo heads were hating on "Word Up" since it became so commercially successful. But really, what's wrong with that? I don't think it was any less funky as the rest of their work. Also, they were the guys that helped kick-start the whole New Jack funk that would make up the late 80's R&B music.

See, Cameo was ahead of their time.

Sowhat said:

I mean, I have the singles on a best of CD, but I don't have the whole album. And since the album isn't in print or hasn't been remastered, it's a little hard to find. (*cough* *cough* any offers? *cough* *cough*) But I can't deny the absolute funkiness of "Be Yourself" and "Flirt". Those were some wicked ass jams.

Sparkle is one of my favs .....Cameo rocks .....Chocolate City !!!